Microtubules can bear enhanced compressive loads in living cells because of lateral reinforcement

Cytoskeletal microtubules have been proposed to influence cell shape and mechanics based on their ability to resist large-scale compressive forces exerted by the surrounding contractile cytoskeleton. Consistent with this, cytoplasmic microtubules are often highly curved and appear buckled because of compressive loads. However, the results of in vitro studies suggest that microtubules should buckle at much larger length scales, withstanding only exceedingly small compressive forces. This discrepancy calls into question the structural role of microtubules, and highlights our lack of quantitative knowledge of the magnitude of the forces they experience and can withstand in living cells. We show that intracellular…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: DMR-0213805, 0243715, 0221682, 0213805, DMR-0243715, 0353937
• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: F32-NS048669
• MR
  Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Harvard University

  Award: DMR-0213805
• DO
  Division of Materials Research